Random acts of kindness coming across the country

People across our state, and across the country are reaching out to help the residents of Newtown any way they can including giving them teddy bears, scarves, pies and animals.

On Friday morning, Adam Lanza, 20, shot and killed his mother as she slept in her bed and then went to Sandy Hook Elementary School where he proceeded to shoot and kill 20 children, between the ages of 6 and 7, and six adults before shooting himself in the head.

People everywhere are sending flowers and teddy bears here that are becoming part of growing memorials all over town.

They're also taking to social media, and using any skill they may have to try to provide just a little bit of comfort for Newtown.

"I knew maybe in our small way we can help the kids feel better again," said Robin Olson, with Kitties for Kids.

Olson's Kitten Associates cat rescue is based in Newtown, so after some deep soul searching over the weekend, she knew she had to help her community whatever way she could.

"Little kids will come in, they'll have a sad look on their face," Olson said. "And then in two seconds they see a kitten jump up in the air after a toy and they'll start giggling."

She's opening up the rescue's kitten room to any child or family needing some comfort later on this week. Kids will leave with a stuffed animal, so they won't be sad leaving the cats behind.

"Its just my way of saying somebody cares," said Tom Cavanaugh.

From the other side of the country, coffee is coming in from California. Cavanaugh said his mom taught him when somebody's grieving, you send prayers and food.

"I can't really afford to buy them all breakfast right now, but I can buy them a cup of coffee," Cavanaugh said.

He donated 100 cups of coffee to Newtown's general store.

"Would you like a piece of pie?" asked Beth Howard of TheWorldNeedsMorePie.com.

This care in the form of comfort food also came from far away, but Howard decided she wanted to deliver it in person.

"I just feel like I want to get in my car, or my RV, and load it up with my pie supplies and go make pie for people. If it would give them some comfort, then I would do it," Howard said.

So she did. Howard raised $2,000, drove to New England from Iowa and baked 240 pies to give away.

"It hopefully will make people feel just a little bit better," she said.

Howard's husband died suddenly three years ago, so she's hoping the pie will help comfort people here the same way it did for her while she was grieving.

Our WFSB Facebook page is full of people reaching out with different ways to help here such as taking donations of teddy bears, knitting material and money for the victims.